Gear Review Classic Stoves - Trangia alcohol stove 'system'

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by DKR, Feb 17, 2020.


  1. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    The Trangia alcohol stove has been around since nearly forever - it predates the post WWII boom in outdoor recreation in North America. In the 1930s, Swedish workers had more time off, so the 'recreation boom' hit the EU shortly ahead of the late unpleasantness with the Germans. .

    A bit of history.
    In 1938 John's two sons, Olle and Erik, started working with their father and 1951 the first prototype of the Trangia stove system was developed and launched. The idea was to build a compact and complete cooking system burning liquid fuel, as this was the most efficient form of fuel and also the easiest to use. (See Trangia ยป Our history - Trangia)

    The Stormkoker
    [​IMG]
    Burner w.simmer ring, support & wind screen, two pots, fry pan, handle and the optional .6L kettle. A strap to hold it together. New cost - ~$100 w/kettle. Prices vary by Vendor, it pays to shop around.

    This initial post will focus on the Trangia system - the now, well known, Stormkoker. The company still based in Sweden. Be aware that a lot of their gear (knockoffs) are Hencho in China.

    The stove system is based on an brass alcohol burner, and a gas burner is now made to work with the system. The alcohol burner is available separately (~$15 USD) The gas burner is also sold as a retrofit item for older Stormkokers - you will need to cut a good-sized hole in the side of the windscreen however. I've not bothered.

    My Model 25 was picked up at a GROJ sale for $40 USD, a bargain. When i picked it up from my DD, the pots were covered with soot - the prior owner had used them to cook over a campfire. A waste IMO.

    They scrubbed clean and work well. The optional point 6 liter kettle is a must have, at least fro me.

    The pots vary in size based on the Model number (25- or 27-) and are adequate for 1-2 or 3-4 person cooking. The Trangia burner has a 'simmer ring' which allows for cooking things like rice dishes, stews, soups and so on. The kettle will boil water quickly for coffee, tea and instant soups.

    About those knock-offs... LEDMARK offers a Trangia-like system. These sell for ~$30 USD - if you can find one.
    [​IMG]
    I have one of these, it works, but there are some subtle and important differences. The LADMARK doesn't support a kettle for one. The Aluminum is softer that the Stromkoker and the materials. as is too often the case in Chinese made products, thinner and in many ways, much less durable than the Trahgia.
    To be fair, it seems some Trangia production has moved to China, so I would suggest looking for older cook kits, those made in the EU.

    The Trangia burner is legendary in the backpacking universe of gear. It works well with any number of non-Trangia pot stands.
    [​IMG]
    I have a Bushbox stove and it works nicely with the Trangia burner and Esbit equally well. You will need a windscreen with anything other than the Stormkoker.

    I have recently added a Trangia burner to a Sterno Inferno cook set. That system will boil water quickly - so it is in Das Auto. This simply due to the much smaller size of the Inferno system.

    One other item, these systems will all burn Esbit fuel with a platform to hold the fuel. A soup tin lid will work well for this.

    PROs
    - Alcohol burner is silent, little to no odor in use.
    - Fuel is inexpensive compared to butane/propane canisters. I use Yellow bottle HEET, any denatured alcohol or grain alcohol will work. I don't recommend isoalcohol, even the 99% - too much soot is produced. .
    -If spilled, drys quickly with no residue or odor - unlike white gas.
    -Will lite quickly.
    - Alcohol fuel is considered "Green" if that matters to you

    CONs
    -Not good for cold weather. If the alcohol fuel is preheated in your pocket, it will work in cool weather.
    -BTU output is very low compared to white gas stoves. Alcohol will yield around 3500BTU/hr, a Svea white gas stove will produce ~7K BTU/hr. An alcohol based stove system is not what you want to melt snow or to try and cook in very cold weather..

    Again, shop around. Prices vary widely by Vendor.
     
    Last edited: Feb 17, 2020
  2. mrghostwalker

    mrghostwalker Monkey+++

    I used one hiking and overnight camping. I carried the burner in a pull-string cloth bag inside my jacket in colder weather so it always fired up. I always carried a bottle of denatured alcohol in a green 20oz Mountain Dew bottle on which I had removed the label and written "FUEL", so as not to confuse it with vodka...:rolleyes:
    Useful in places that don't permit open fires, like parts of the Appalachian Trail.
    Simple, fool proof and cheap to feed. I bought one for each of the boys to use in BoyScout back in the day.
     
    HK_User likes this.
  3. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    [​IMG]
    a lot of different pot stands will work with the spirit burner.

    [​IMG]
    knockoffs have been known to melt.

    [​IMG]
    a Trangia has a T stamped in the bottom. A .mil unit is to the right.
     
    SB21 likes this.
  4. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    While it may be obvious

    ONLY USE ALCOHOL FUEL IN ALCOHOL STOVES.

    Yeah - CYA.
     
    SB21 likes this.
  5. john316

    john316 Monkey+++

    190 EVERCLEAR WORKS
     
    SB21 likes this.
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